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Rep. T.W. Shannon Takes a Stand!

Rep. T.W. Shannon, Oklahoma Speaker of the House, is taking a stand against domestic violence and sexual assault. Read why below. Click here to see pictures of his campaign taken by Dan Morgan Photography.

Why did you want to take a stand against domestic violence and sexual assault?
We must respect human life and we are all created in God’s image. Domestic violence and sexual assault is a serious problem in Oklahoma that plagues our rural and metropolitan areas. If we are to succeed as a society, we must respect life at all stages. I feel society needs to find its moral backbone and encourage strong family values. These values allow our children to grow up in an environment of respect and compassion. If parents can properly convey these attitudes and be a model to their children, then those children will be models to future generations.

Communities and activists worldwide are starting to recognize that sexual assault and domestic violence are not just a women’s issue but a human right’s issue, and men play a role in stopping the violence. How do you think male role models help get young men and boys to take an interest in and step up to help prevent and stop sexual assault and domestic violence?
Once again, a major part of the domestic violence and sexual assault problem is a breakdown of the family unit. We now have multiple generations of children where a significant portion has grown up in a one-parent, split or dysfunctional household. More men and women need to stand up and take on the personal responsibility that comes with a child. When a child is born, God calls on us to fulfill a certain role. Children need a strong family and a household that honors respect. A good father or mother figure does more than just provide money for the household. He or she provides love and care to the child and sets an example of how people should be treated by showing respect for one another. A child raised in a home filled with anger, violence and dysfunction has a higher chance of being angry, violent and dysfunctional.